Machine for producing shapes



July 2, 1940. V v c, YQDER 2 ,206,068

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SHAPES Filed Aug. 28, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR Carl M. Yoder v ATTORNEY y 1940- c. M. YODER 2,206,068

means FOR raonucme SHAPES Filed Aug. 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORBY Cm) M. YodeY 57w. EVA/Ca? ATTORNEY Filed Aug. 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet3 ATTORNEY July 2, 1940. c. M. YODER MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SHAPES FiledAug. 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY CQH M. Yoder ATTORNEY y 2,0-- c M. YODER MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SHAPES s Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug.28, 1936 E El. 10

INVENTOR BY Car? M.YOJer JMJSQWW ATTORNEY Patented July 2, 1940 UNITEDSTATES.

rA'rENT OFFICE 2,20 ,068 MACHINE FOR PRODUCING SHAPES Carl M. Yoder,Lakewood, Ohio Application August 28, 1936, Serial No. 98,420

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for and process of producing membersof curvilinear shape struck on any predetermined radius, moreparticularly to a machine for and process of forming sheet material,which may be supplied in straight lengths or from a coil, into varyingpredetermined cross sectional shapes, curving the shaped material andcutting the curvilinear shaped or formed material into sections ofpredetermined length; although the invention in its broader aspects isnot to be limited to the coiling or curving of material and cutting itinto sections where the material is first formed to a predeterminedcross sectional shape, as the machine embodying the herein disclosedinvention may coil and cut into lengths sheet material that is in flatform. In the disclosed form of construction the shaped material iscurved into coil form and cut into sections equal in length to acomplete circle struck on the radius of the coil, whereby is producedcircular members of a predetermined diameter and having a predeterminedcross section, adapted to be used as-hoops, reinforcing bands and thelike. One object of the invention is to provide an improved machine ofthis character which is relatively simple and has large capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine forcoiling sheet material and automatically cutting it into sections.

Another object of the invention is, to provide an improved machine ofthis character for continuously forming sheet material into apredetermined cross sectional shape, curving the shaped material on apredetermined radius and automatically cutting the material intosections.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process ofshaping, and curving material and cutting the material into sections toproduce curvilinear members in a rapid manner. Other objects of theinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which myinvention relates from the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an end elevation of amachine, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view. 7 Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figs. 2and '7.

. Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentarysectional views on the lines 4--4 and5-5, respectively, of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 5-1.5 ofFig. 3.

Figs. '1, 8 and 9 are sections on the lines 'l.-.l, 8-8.and 9-9,respectively, of Fig. 3.

' pass 2a (Fig. 10) its. rolls 2a bend the opposite Figure Bais afragmentary sectionalview taken on the same line as Figure 8, andillustrating the positions assumed by the moving parts at a later, pointin the cycle of operation' Figs. 10 to 17, inclusive, are fragmentarysections, partly diagrammatic, showing the steps of shaping the materialprior to coiling thereof.

Fig. 18 is a perspective View of a portion of the shaped-up coiledmaterial.

In the drawings, i indicates as an entirety a 10 support of any suitableconstruction, but preferably shaped to mount the mechanisms and partshereinafter referred to. 2 indicates as an entirety a plurality. ofroll,'passes 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 26, 2f, 2g and 2h, to which the sheetmaterial, such as sheet metal A, is delivered, to form the material intoa predetermined cross sectional shape, such as shown at A forillustrative purposes in Fig. 18. The material A may consist of hot orcold rolled sheet iron or sheet steel, brass, copper and other sometallic stock. The material is preferably supplied from a coil mountedon'a spider or other device 3, which in turn is rotatable on a shaft 4supported by a suitable standard 5. In the first marginal portions ofthe material at right angles .to its central portion in oppositedirections. In the next pass 212 (Fig. 11) the material A is guidedbetween opposed guide elements it, 6, and the rolls 2b of the pass bendthe bent-up portions at an acute angle to the central portion, and inthe next pass (Fig. 12) these bent-up portions are rolled intoengagement with the central portion of the material and one resultingmarginal edge is bent-up at an obtuse angle thereto. In the next pass M(Fig. 13), the central portion is bent along a longitudinal line and thebent-up edge is bent up at right angles to the contiguous portion of thematerial. In the .next pass 2e (Fig. 14) the rolls 2e thereof 00-operate with a fixed guide I to transversely curve the central portionof the material and one roll operates to bend the bent-up edge at anacute angle to the contiguous portion of the material. In the next pass2 (Fig. 15) the transverse curvature is continued and one bent-up edgeis rolled into engagement with the contiguous portion of the material.The succeeding passes to (Fig. 16) and 271. (Fig. 17) complete thecurving of the 'material transversely. The rolls of each pass aremounted on shafts suitably supported on the support I, the rolls ofpasses 2a, 20, 2d, 2] and 2a and one roll of the pass 2h being fixed totheir shafts and the latter driven by suitable mechanism housed withinthe support I. a

The driving mechanism is driven by a shaft having a sprocket engaged bya chain 8, which runs over a sprocket fixed to the shaft of a motor 9.It will be understood that the rolls of the passes are removable andthat I may substitute therefor other rolls the co-acting surfaces ofwhich may be adapted to form the material into other predetermined crosssectional shapes. Provision is also made for adjusting one roll of eachof the passes 2a, 20, 2d, 2f, 2g, and 2h relative to the other roll ofthe pass by means of a screw 2' threaded through the side wall I of thesupport (see Figs. 1 and 2), the inner end of each screw being connectedto the bearing box 29: for the adjacent roll shaft; whereas the shaftfor each of the rolls of each pass 222 and 2c is mounted in an angleplate or member 2.10 which is adjustably fixed to the support I.Vertical adjustment of the rolls or one roll relative to an, adjacentroll is provided for by shims or washers.

The non-driven roll 2h mounted on a plate 21' which is adjustable towardand from the other roll between suitable guides on the support theadjustment being provided for by a screw llc threaded through a portionof the plate and rotatably mounted in a lug Im on the support (see Fig.3)

From the roll pass 2h the shaped material feeds to and between a rollIll arranged to engage the outer side of the material and a rollarranged to engage the inner side of the material (see Fig. 2). Therolls H), H, are respectively fixed in an adjusted position relative tothe pass 2h and each other, so as to curve the material on apredetermined radius as it continues to feed between them into acurvilinear member ready to be cut into sections. In the preferredarrangement and as shown herein, the shaped material is cut intosections each forming a complete annular member, the ends of which maybe secured together, end to end (as by welding), or otherwise.

The rolls H) and H are preferably mounted in a 7 similar manner (seeFigs. 4 and 5), each being loosely rotatable on a shaft mounted in asuitable bearing, the walls of which may be integral with a base i2. Thebase I2 is slidable on a portion of the support between guides |3thereon, the guides for the bases being disposed in the proper angularrelation to insure a curving action by the rolls mounted on the bases.

Each base l2 is secured to the support by screws I4 extending throughelongated slots in the base and threaded into an opening in the supportEach base I2 is provided with an upstanding lug i5 having a threadedopening through it to receive an adjusting screw 16. The outer endportion of each screw i6 rotates in a bearing provided in a boss ii onthe support I, the screw being provided with collars 8 which engage theopposite sides of the boss to prevent endwise movement of the screw whenit is rotated. The outer end of each screw i6 is shaped to take asuitable tool for rotating it.

IS indicates as an entirety the mechanism for cutting the shapedmaterial into sections of predetermined length, the operation of suchmechanism being controlled by the engagement of the free end of thematerial, that is, the free end resulting each time a section is cutoff, engaging an element of the mechanism, whereby the resulting ends ofthe material as the latter feeds forward effect the cutting operationssuccessively for predetermined lengths of the material. The cutting offmechanism is so arranged that each section is equal to the circumferencestruck from of the pass 2h is the radius on which the shaped material iscurved by the co-action of the rolls ID, and pass 271.

The cutting off mechanism l9 consists of the following: 20 indicates asan entirety a frame for supporting the power means and actuating meansfor a cutter or knife 2| and having a bracket 20a on which is mounted tomove in opposite directions a die or guide 22, the knife beingassociated with the die or guide and movable with it and the materialduring the cutting operation. 23 indicates a circular support ofconvolute form, having one end leading from the discharge side of thedie 22 and its other end terminating thereabove, but preferably at apoint adjacent an imaginary vertical plane coinciding with the knife 2|,whereby the ends of each section may be related end to end. The support23 has a diameter corresponding to that of the coiled material so (a) asto support the latter as the end portion thereof, after each cuttingoperation, feeds forwardly, (b) that such advancing end portion of thecoiled material is guided out of the path of the rearward coiled portionand (c) that the free end of the material may be directed intoengagement with an actuating device 24, the effect of which is to causean operation of the knife 2|, whereby the advancing material istransversely cut to form a section. The actuating device is arranged sothat the knife effects each cutting operation at a point on theadvancing coiled material substantially coincident with the free endthereof, whereby the section constitutes a complete circular member andits ends may be aligned in abutting relation.

The die 22 consists of related elements having opposed spaced Wallsshaped to receive and guide the shaped curvilinear material duringfeeding thereof. The die is formed with a chamber 22a to accommodate theknife 2| and a slot 2211 into which the knife moves when operated. Inthe arrangement shown, the material is rolled or formed intosubstantially U-shape in cross section and by preference the knife 2| isarranged so that it engages first with the bottom of the U-shape in itsmovement to sever the material on a transverse line.

The die 22 on that side toward the axis on which the material is curvedis provided with an arm 22w which is pivoted at 25 on the bracket 20a ata point inwardly of the adjacent portion of the material, whereby thedie 22 is mounted to oscillate on the bracket 20a as later set forth.The die 22 is moved on the bracket 20a about the pivot 25 in onedirection during the engagement of the knife 2| with the material toeffect the cutting operation and in the opposite direction by meanshereinafter referred to. On its opposite or inner side, the die 22 isprovided with a bracket 2211 on which is fulcrumed a rocker 26, therocker carrying at its outer end the knife 2| and pivoted at 26a at itsinner to an operating member 27. By preference, the operating member 21serves to operate the knife 2| and through it to oscillate the die aboutits pivot 25 in relation to the movement of the knife. The pivotalconnection 260. between the rocker 26 and arm 21 is sufliciently looseto permit of these movements.

The actuating device 24 consists of a bar mounted to reciprocate in acasing 28 and arranged to engage and operate an arm 29 (the device beingpreferably in contact therewith) fixed to a rock shaft 30, which issuitably supported by a portion of the frame 20. The actuating bar 24 isprovided with an upstanding lug 24a which is engaged by the free end ofthe material to move the bar endwise, whereby, through the arm 29, theshaft 30 is rocked in one direction. The shaft 30 in turn carries adevice (later referred to) which releases the mechanism (hereinafterreferred to) that actuates the member 21. In the forward movement of thematerial A, its free end will ride beyond the end of the lug 2-111,since the material feeds at an angle to the direction of movement of thedevice 2i (see Fig. 6) by reason of the convolute form of the support23. A spring 3| is coiled around the shaft 3i! and normally acts thereonto swing the arm 29 in the opposite direction and to return the device24 to its first position, with its rear end in engagement with the rearend wall of the casing 28.

The operating member 21 is fixed to an upper cross-head 32 carried onthe upper ends of two rods 33, which are mounted to reciprocate intubular members St, the down stroke of the rods 33 serving to operatethe member 21, whereby the latter actuates the knife 2!. A bar 35rigidly connects the members 34 together to form a carrier for theoperating member 21 during reciprocations of the rods 33. lhe carrier ismounted on and pivotally connected to the upper ends of pairs of links36, 36, the lower ends of the latter being pivotally mounted at 3? onthe support 20, whereby the links movably support the carrier but insurea vertical movement of the rods 33 and member 21. The movement of thecarrier about the pivots 37 is co-ordinated with the movements of therods 33 and member 2'! as later set forth.

I provide for the rods 33 actuating means, indicated as an entirety at33', which are set for operation and released by the rocking movement ofthe shaft 39, and power means which move the actuating means 33 intoposition for resetting. The actuating means are constructed to impart tothe rods 33 and arm 2! a quick powerful stroke, whereby the knife 21 isoperated with a quick movement. The power means consist of a motor 38fixed to a bracket 38a, the shaft for the motor being provided with apinion 39, which meshes with a gear at enclosed in a housing 40a.

The gear All is loosely mounted on a shaft M, the latter being supportedin suitable bearings which are provided in the frame walls 2%, 20b. Thegear all is continuously driven by the pinion 39, but is automaticallyconnected to the shaft 4! to rotate it through substantially a halfrevolution, to set or permit setting of the actuating means 33 and thenautomatically disconnected from the shaft to permit the shaft and theknife to operate under the influence of the actuating means, such latteroperation serving to rotate the shaft through a substantially halfrevolution and to effect movement of the knife 2! to cut the shapedmaterial A, as already set forth. The driving connection from the gear4i] to the shaft 4! consists of a clutch, one element thereof consistingof a hub Ma keyed to the shaft and a plunger 41b slidably mountedtherein and normally biased into engagement with the other clutchelement (which is secured to the gear to), but is moved away from saidother clutch element by a cam ll. The cam t! is so arranged that whenthe shaft H is rotated by the gear 49 to that position where theactuating means 33' are or become effective to rotate the shaft 41, itcauses the movable clutch plunger lib to disengage the clutch elementfixed to the gear 40, whereas the shaft operates a trigger device 42which, following such disengagement, engages a release element or device53 carried by the rock shaft 30, and looks or sets the shaft 4! againstrotation.

The actuating means 33' consist of the following: 43' indicates a crankdisk fixed to the shaft 4! and connected to a pitman 44 through a link45, I prefer to employ two crank disks d3 fixed to the opposite ends ofthe shaft 45, the second disk being connected to a pitman 46. The outerend portion of each pitman 44, Mi, extends into a cylinder 4'1 andcarries at its outer end an abutment t8 consisting of a washer or collarheld in position by one or more nuts threaded on the end of the pitman.Between the abutment 48 on each pitman and an annular wall 49 at theinner end of the cylinder I provide one or more coiled springs 58, whichare compressed and put under tension when the shaft M is rotated by thegear 4i], substantially a half revoluticn, as above set forth, and theshaft is locked against rotation by the trigger device 42. Accordingly,

if the trigger device 42 is operated to release the shaft ll the springsEll will impart a quick movement to the shaft-ti, rotating it throughsubstantially the other half revolution, and through a leverage,indicated as an entirety at 5!, operate the rods 33 and the partsconnected thereto downwardly, thus effecting a cutting stroke of theknife 2!. The cylinder ll for the pitman it and its operating spring ispivoted at its lower or outer end on a shaft 52, suitably supported inthe frame since the pitman 46 is connected di rectly to the adjacentcrank disk; whereas the cylinder 41 for the pitman M is verticalhdisposed and fixedly supported between walls of the frame 20 since thepitrnan M and the link t5 serve as a conjoint connection between theshaft H and the leverage hi to eliminate the necessity of providing aseparate connection and driving means between the leverage and the shaftM. In other words, I utilize this arrangement to change the rotarymotion of the shaft til into a reciprocating movement of the rods 33.-

Where two or more springs 5c are provided in each cylinder 61, I preferto mount between the adjoining ends of the springs a disk 50'', looselyfitting the pitman and cylinder walls, to serve as a guide.

The leverage 5| consists of the following: 53 indicates a leverbifurcated at its inner end and terminating in knuckles through whichthe pin for pivotally connecting the pitman Mi and link 45, extends. Theouter end of the lever- 53 is suitably fulcrurned on a shaft 54 which issupported in hollow bosses 54a. 55 indicates links disposed on theopposite sides of the lever 53 and pivotally connected thereto at theirouter ends. The opposite ends of the links 55 are connected to a crosshead 56 on and connecting the lower ends of the rods 33 together,whereby movement of the pitman 44 effects movement of the rods 33.

To insure movement of the knife 25 and die 22 with the shaped materialA, I provide means, indicated as an entirety at El, for oscillating thecarrier about the pivots 31 for the links a, as in coordination with thereciprocations of the rods 33 and arm 21, whereby the die and knife movewith the material during the cutting stroke. The oscillating means 51comprise the following: 57 indicates a cam fixed to the shaft M andarranged to engage the carrier or a part connected thereto. The cam 51is preferably provided on the side wall of one of the crank disks 43',preferably the disk to which the link 45 is connected. 5 8 indicates aplunger engaging the carrier and slidably fitting abarrel 59 preferablyformed integrally with a bracket 60, which is mounted on the frame 20.The-plunger .58 is recessed to form a guide for a coiled spring 6| whichis mounted between an abutment 62 at the outer end of the barrel (theabutment preferably comprising a plug screwed into the outer end of thebarrel and serving as an adjustment to increase or decrease the tensionof the spring 6|) and the bottom. wall of the recess, the springnormally tending to move the plunger 58 inwardly and through it to swingthe carrier toward the left, as viewed in Fig. '7, and to maintain thecarrier in engagement with the cam 51. 51a indicates a roller, looselymounted on a shaft supported on the adjacent link 36 and in the plane ofthe cam 51" so as to ride thereon during its rotation. The cam 5'!operates to swing the carrier and parts carried thereby through theroller 57a and link 36 in one direction (toward the right as viewed inFig. 7) and the spring 6! operates to swing the carrier in the oppositedirection, the cam being shaped to control the movement of the carrierunder the influence of the spring; and as the spring normally maintainsthe carrier in engagement with the cam at all times, the cam and springco-act to effect and control the oscillating movement of the carrier. Asthe cam 5?, link 45 and pitman 44 are connected to the shaft 4|, it willbe seen that the vertical and oscillating movements of the rods 33 arecorrelated. As the arm 21 is accordingly reciprocated and oscillatedwith the carrier, the die 22 will be oscillated about the pivot 25,whereby the knife 2| and die 22 move as a unit with that portion of thematerial feeding through the die and the knife is operatedsimultaneously to cut the material. The walls of the die 22 are spacedor separated at either side of the slot 22a to permit of the feeding ofthe material therethrough and to accommodate the movement of the die ona radius less than that on which the material is coiled. The die 22 isformed of separable and removable elements to provide for materialhaving different predetermined cross sections.

The trigger device 42 comprises substantially a bell crank having a tailmember 64, fulcrumed on a stud shaft 65 which is mounted on the wall20b. One arm 66 of the device 42 is provided with a lug 61 arranged toengage a projection 68 on the adjacent crank disk 43' and lock the shaftll against turning under the influence of the actuating means 33. Theother arm 68a of the device 42 is arranged to engage the shoulder 69provided on the release device 43, when the projection 68 is inengagement with the lug iii. A spring ill coiled around the shaft 65 andconnected to the trigger device 42 normally tends to swing the latterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 8, so that upon the rocking of the shaft 30(as already set forth), the device 43 will be swung to the positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 8 and release the trigger device 42; thelatter in turn will disengage the projection 68 and permit the actuatingmeans to rotate the shaft substantially a half revolution, and effect acutting of the material, as above set forth. The rotation of the shaft4|, through the other half revolution is effected by the motor 38 and asthe projection 68 is carried around in the latter half revolution, itengages with and rides on the tail member 64 (see Fig. 8a) and actstherethrough to swing the trigger device 42 counterclockwise, to movethe arm 66a thereof behind the shoulder 69 and to position the lug 61 inthe path of movement of the projection 68. The shaft 4| is rotated bythe gear 40 to compress the springs 50 and to a position wherein thesprings are (or one thereof is) effective to rotate the shaft, followingwhich, but prior to the engagement of the projection 68 with the lug 61,the gear 40 is disconnected from the shaft, so that upon engagement ofthe projection 68 with the lug 81, the latter stops the further rotationof the shaft, with the actuating means set.

The pitmans M and 46 are connected to the disks 43 at different angularpositions so that in the operation of the shaft 4| under the influenceof the springs 59, one thereof (the spring connected to pitman 46) willcontinue to exert torque on the shaft after the other spring has fullyexpanded, the effect of which is to insure a full or maximum powerstroke of the knife 2|.

The frame 28 is adjustably mounted on the support I so that the die 22and knife I may be accurately positioned with respect to the coiledmaterial A, this arrangement permitting the entire cutting off mechanismto be bodily adjusted. The adjustment is provided for by forming in thesupport 1 elongated slots H to receive bolts 72 which extend through themarginal portions of the frame 20 to clamp the latter to the support I.The slots 1! extend parallel to that radius of the coiled materialextending through the knife 2!, whereby such adjustment moves the latteralong this radius.

The power and actuating means herein disclosed are substantially similarto the means shown and claimed in the application of Alex-- anderBorzym, filed Feb. 9, 1934, Ser. No. 710,430, now Letters Patent No.2,155,396, dated April 25, 1939, and no claim is made thereto by me.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changesin construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of theinvention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. My disclosures and the description herein arepurely illustrative and are not intended to be in an; sense limiting. I

It will be noted that in my form of construction the material issupported and fed at one side of the power means and actuating means 33'for the cutting off mechanism, and independently thereof and that theknife is supported to engage and move with the material. Thisarrangement is obviously advantageous for cutting material that iscurved or coiled about a substantially vertical axis; but it is alsoadvantageous for cutting variously shaped material since the changes orsubstitutions of supporting and die parts are materially simplified andwould involve no changes, substitution or disassembly of the power meansor actuating means.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of materialfeeding means, means for continuously curving the material on apredetermined radius, mechanism for cutting the curved material intopredetermined lengths, said mechanism including a cutter mounted to movein opposite directions in the plane of the material, whereby it moveswith the material during the cutting stroke, an actuating devicearranged to control the operation of said mechanism, and a curvedsupport and guide for the advancing end portion of the curved materialarranged to guide such end portion laterally of the remaining portion ofthe material, said device being normally disposed in the path ofmovement of the free end of the material and arranged to be engaged andoperated by such end as it leaves said support.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination 'of means forfeeding sheet material, means for forming the material into apredetermined cross sectional shape, means for curving the shapedmaterial on a predetermined radius, supporting means for deflecting theend of the curved material laterally, mechanism for cutting the coiledmaterial into predetermined lengths and means engaged by the said endfor actuating the cutting mechanism.

3. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means forfeeding sheet material, a plurality of roll passes for forming thematerial into a predetermined cross sectional shape, means co-actingwith the last roll pass for curving the shaped material on apredetermined radius, supporting means for deflecting the end of thecurved material, mechanism for cutting the coiled material intopredetermined lengths and means engaged by the said end for actuatingthe cutting mechanism.

4. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means forfeeding sheet material, means for curving the material on apredetermined radius, a spiral support on which the material moves, acutting device on an intermediate portion of said support, mechanism foroperating said device and for moving it and the said intermediateportion of the support with the I material duringthe cutting action,operation of said mechanism being controlled by the free end of thecoiled material as it passes beyond said spiral support.

5. In apparatusof the class described, the combination of means forfeeding sheet material,

means for curving the material 'on a predetermined radius, supportingmeans for advancing and guiding the end portion of the curvedmaterial'out of its plane, mechanism for cutting the curved materialinto sections, and means actuated by the guided portion of the materialfor controlling the operation of said mechanism.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of ahorizontally disposed spiral support, mechanism including a cutter onsaid sup-,

port intermediate the ends thereof and operating mechanism for saidcutter, mechanism for feeding material to said support, said feedingmechanism including means for curving the material, said support servingto guide the advancing end portion of the material to one side of saidcutter, and a device in the path of movement of the advancing end of thematerial and disposed in a predetermined relation to said cutter andarranged to be engaged and moved-by said advancing end for controllingthe operation of said cutter operating mechanism.

CARL M. YODER.

